Onward
by FortunasFollower
Summary: Sometimes, our worst fall can become the greatest start. This takes place after chapter 416, so it will spoil the previous chapters a bit


Hey guys, Follower here, and today I'm bringing something a bit different.

You see, I've read tons of Fairy Tail stories, and I've always wanted to try my hand at it. So today I'm bringing you a "pseudo-AU" story.

This takes place at the end of the Tartarus Arc, and covers my take on how Lucy dealt with the events that took place in it.

But why did I say "pseudo-AU", then? Well, it's pretty simple. I'm not totally comfortable with how Lucy was after the one year time skip. I think that what she did wasn't really in character. This is my take on what I thought she would do.

This story serves as a one-shot, but I am thinking of continuing it. If you guys approve, then please leave a comment for me to see.

I'll just warn you one thing: no dragon slayer Lucy here. If spinned the right way, her magic can be even more OP than it. So this will be a story focused on Celestial Magic, nothing more, okay? There will be spells and such, but she won't be some damn magical juggernaut.

Last but not least, here are a few instructions:

1 - This symbol represents speach ( " )  
Example: "Gildarts!"

2 - This symbol represents thought ( ' )  
Example: 'Gray!'

3 - I do not own or represent Fairy Tail

4 - If you like this story, please rate or review. If you don't want to, that's okay as well.

Hope you enjoy it!

Avanti!

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Dear Mama,

Since I haven't written a letter to you in days, I'll try to explain what was going through my head. I don't know if you approve of this, but these are my honest feelings right now.

After our battle with Tartarus, I went home only trying to find somewhere where I would be at peace, where the fear wasn't gripping me and the regret yelling in my ears.

I was sure that Fairy Tail would be by my, and everyone else's, side.

I was wrong.

Master disbanded the guild, and I swear a piece of my heart, another one that wasn't already broken, shattered. And to add insult to injury, I lost my closest friend and partner as well. All in the same day.

I felt alone.

How could this happen? How could they just go away after all of this?

How could they just go away from me.

I was being selfish, I know. But can you really blame me, Mama? I just lost my first and best friend in this damn world, I freaking summoned the Spirit King, giving Fairy Tail AND Fiore a fighting chance. And what did I gain for this?

A letter...no, a note saying he was off to train, and my family going separate ways.

I feel angry.

Did they seriously just decided to part after THAT? As if this whole ordeal wasn't traumatic enough, they seriously thought that disbanding after the most brutal battle ever was a nice idea?

Weren't one's tears everyone's tears? Then where is everybody now that I'm crying myself to sleep? Are they all crying as well, or did the spirit vanish along with the guild?

I felt depressed.

How many more times will I lose my family? How many more times will I have to mourn, to feel these cold tears running through my face?

Will these things continue? Or, and that's what I'm most afraid of knowing the answer, will they ever stop?

Mama, you taught me how being polite and helping people were the basis that every person should have, regardless of where they come from. So please excuse me, for I have said nothing but curses and barely left my apartment, whose rent was, surprise, surprise, coming up.

I swear, it's like I'm so close to a happy ending, but the plot twists just keep coming, as if my life is just being written by some sadistic author that doesn't want the story to end, forcing his puppets to dance day after day to whatever rhythm he plays.

I feel weak.

Yes, I did summon the Celestial Spirit King, but what good did it do? All I did was, again, cower behind my friends.

As much as I say that I fight beside my spirits, the only thing I did was cast Urano Metria. The rest was all them.

And then there's Aquarius.

Dear Mavis, what have I done this time.

I'm not sure I can face Scorpio or Loke. Hell, I'm not sure I can even face myself right now. Last time I did, I saw her face, and ran out of the bathroom. Did you know that the Spirit King infused her powers in me?

As if wasn't enough to have a constant reminder of what has happened in my mind, I now have it in me, flowing with my magic.

I feel nauseated.

As if I was in a moving ship, who's rocking and turning and barely sinking every single time, and there's nothing for miles other than water.

But not any water.

The most beautiful, clearest blue water I have ever seen. It looks as if its made out of sapphires.

Bottom line, it looks just like Aquarius's.

Sometimes I can see little patches of land, and hope start shining again. But when I pass through them, all I can see are these awful memories, and I end up accelerating the ship somehow, never looking back. I can't face those demons.

And it's not like I don't have experience with those beings, but it's more like...they aren't killable, these ones aren't, are least.  
I'm afraid that when I bring them down and eventually move on, they will just reappear, laughing and pointing at me.

And that is something I can't take. Not right now, at least.

I feel tired.

I can't keep on like this. My existence has been narrowed down to wake up, eat, mope, try to write you, mope a bit more and then sleep. I'm tired of being this tired.

If you are seeing me from above, then I must say this: sorry. I know it ain't a pretty view, but that's what I could manage. Somehow, I can feel your sadness at the way I'm living my life.

And I can't disagree if you do. But I didn't have the strength to do anything yet.

But now I have.

Now, I feel something completely different from how I was feeling a few days ago.

I feel motivated.

I will not give up on me, and I sure as hell won't give up on them. Once I've got my act together, I'll search for them, and who knows, maybe we can be together again.

I feel decided.

I'm gonna start doing this the right way. No more slacking off. No more staying in bed all day. Now, I'll cut the gap between me and my family.

I'll seek Loke, Capricorn and whoever's in for training me. And then I'll be a force to be reckoned with, just you wait, Mama. Your little star is going to shine so bright people will have to shield their eyes.

And now, after all this time crying and begging, I finally feel what I wanted to feel for so long.

I feel ready.

And no ones going to stop me, for I am Lucky Lucy of Fairy Tail, daughter of Layla and Jude Heartfilia!

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After finishing the letter, Lucy sealed it, but did not put it in the usual place. No, this one was too special for her to just place it anywhere.

This one was going with her, every step of the way.

Feeling renovated, the blond mage stood and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Tomorrow, she would leave this place and carve her own space in this world.

She wouldn't pity herself anymore, instead, she would grow past it, passing every obstacle in her way.

This time, there would be no one to stop her.

After she finished brushing her teeth, she whispered something to herself, which involuntarily caused a slight smile on her lips.

Her keys glowed the moment she fell asleep, and in the Spirit World, all spirits from the golden and silver keys smiled at their princess. She had matured so much, from the naïve little girl to the headstrong woman she now was.

Aquarius was crying slightly, sad that she wouldn't be with Lucy anymore. Scorpio was by her side, calming her and saying that you never knew, Fairy Tail was always full of surprises, and she would surely come back someday.

Aries remembered them of Loke, and how Lucy had managed to change the King's mind. Maybe she could do something like that again.

"Everyone", a voice said, and all turned to the leader of the zodiac.

"Right now, Lucy is finally getting her life back together, and we'll be with her every step of the way. Who's with me?", he shouted, earning shouts of approval back.

"I will!".

"I'll always help Lucy!".

"Me!".

"Plue!".

The chorus seemed to never end, and the lion looked proudly at his family. Never before was there such union, and probably never would be after Lucy.

Getting rid of that train of thought, Loke coughed to ask for silence.

"Now, the road we'll go through is not an easy one, and there's no doubt we'll face many hardships from the kind we've never seen before. So I will ask again: is everyone in for helping Lucy?".

Another chorus, even louder than before, resounded through the Spirit World, reaching the King's ears.

'Hmmn, my old friends are surely energetic today. I better get back to work so I don't fall behind', he thought, going back to a book he was reading. The cape only read the word rules, and he was at the special summons part.

Lucy had more friends than she probably knew about.

Back with the spirits, Loke looked at his family one more time, before grinning and adjusting his sunglasses.

"Well then, as Lucy said...", and at this he smashed his closed fists together, light magic pulsating around him.

"I'm all fired up!", shouted the spirits, each wearing a face of anxiety for this new phase to start.

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Somewhere in Crocus, Natsu sneezed.

"Natsu, are you okay? Maybe you're getting a cold?", asked Happy, the loyal blue Exceed.

"I'm fine, Happy, its just...", he stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"What?".

"I dunno, I think someone just stole my line".

"What do you mean your line? Like a fishing pole line?", asked Happy, not understanding his friend.

"No, not like that. As in...nevermind, let's just continue okay?".

"Man, you're weird".

"Am not!".

"Are too!".

"Am not!".

This went on from a couple minutes, before the pink haired mage turned his head away from the feline, mocking annoyance.

"Hey Natsu".

"Yeah, Happy?", said the slayer, still pretending to be mad.

"Do you think Lucy is okay?", asked the Exceed, worried about their friend. They did leave without saying goodbye, and both regretted it.

Natsu seemed to sober up after hearing the summoner's name. Great friend and partner he was, if he went away without her.

Although he knew that Lucy wouldn't be able to keep up with his training, it didn't ease his mind in the slightest.

"I don't know Happy, but I do know one thing", he said, equally guilty about just running off, but trying to lighten the mood.

"What's that?".

"I feel like something good is coming. Call it a hunch, but things will get really great around here!", Natsu stated, setting his fist in flames and pointing it upwards.

Both just stared at the night sky, mesmerized by how bright the stars were shining.

"Natsu?".

"Yeah?".

"You're still weird".

And thus the night went on, with plans being made for tomorrow, and new adventures waiting patiently for the Magnolia mages.

No one knew what their next day would be like, all they knew was this: things were never going to be the same.

And they were fine with that.


End file.
